Carousel.



P.` F. NACHTIGALL.

CAROUSEL. APPLICATxoN F|LED1uLY1a,1914.

Patented Jan. 11, 1916.

2 SHEETS*SHEET 1.

ATTORNEYS,

PAUL `1'1". NACHTIGALL, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA.

Genossen.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. il i, 1916.

Application filed July 13, 1914.-. Serial No.850,615.

T all 1071.077@ it may concern Be it known that I, PAUL F. NACHTIGALL, acitizen of the United States, residing at Fort lVayne, in the county ofAllen and State of indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements inOarousels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to carousels whereina plurality of cars'or seatsare caused to rotate about a common center.

The object of the present invention is to provide a novel and simplecarousel in which the cars or seats are caused to travel in 'oppositedirections and in serpentine paths which intersect each other, theapparatus being very simple and eflicient in its operation. Y

\ l illustrate in the drawings one manner of accomplishing the inventionin which- Figure 1 is an elevational view of the apparatus partly insection and Fig. 2 a plan view of the same, the top or roof beingremoved.

Referring to the drawings the platform 1 is stationary and preferablycircular. Near the periphery of the platform are secured a suitablenumber of uprights 2, upon the upper ends of which are secured the outerends of girders 3 which radiate from the center.` The roof 4 is securedand mounted upon the girders in any suitable manner. In the center ofthe platform is secured a suitable socket 5 to form ay bearing for thelower end of shaft 6. Above bearing 5 and keyed to the shaft is a sleeve7 to which is secured a spider frame 8, the outer ends of the arms 9 ofthe frame being apertured as at 10 to form bearings for the reciprocablerods 11, the outer ends of the rods being connected to the vehicles orcars 12 or other desirable seat for the passengers. The extremities ofribs or arms 9 are connected by suitable braces 13 and by the radialbraces 14 to make the spider rigid and durable. The upper end of shaft 6is borne in a socket 14C which depends from the roof structure and abevel gear 15 is keyed to the shaft. A pinion 16 is in'mesh with gear 15and is secured to a shaft 17 which is borne by hangers 18 which dependfrom one or more of the girders 3. A pulley 19 is secured to the shaftto which a belt from a suitable source of motive power may be connectedfor driving the pinion 16. A bevel gear 20 is also n mesh with pinion16,

and is integral with or secured to a sleeve 21 which is loose on shaft6.

A spider frame 22, which is similar to spider frame 8, is secured tosleeve 21, the outer ends of ribs 23 of the frame being apertured toprovide bearings for reciprocable rods 24, to the outer ends of whichrods are connected the depending cars 25 or other desirable seats orvehicles for the passengers.v Ribs or arms 23 of spider 22 are suitablybraced by braces 26 and radial braces 27. At the side of the outerextremity of each rib or arm 9 and of spider frames 8 and 22 is secureda bracket which supports a roller, the rollers mounted on ribs 9 beingindicated by numerals 2S and those mounted on ribs 23 by numerals 29.Rollers 2S bear on the sides of rods 11 which oppose the direction ofrotation of spider frame 8 as indicated by arrow@ and rollers 29 bearagainst rods 24 on their sides opposite to the direction of rotation ofspider frame 22 as indicated by arrow These rollers very materiallyreduce the friction of the reciprocation of rods 11 and 24.

At suitable points upon rods 11 are secured pairs of antifrictionrollers 30 which are adapted to roll upon opposite sides of a guide 31which is secured to platform 1. Guide 31 is illustrated as a rail in thedrawingsand it encircles shaft 6 in the form of a continuous sinuouscurve, consequently as spider frame 8 is rotated, carrying rods 11 withit, the rollers 30 will follow the guide and cause the rods toreciprocate in their bearings 10 thereby causing cars 12 to travel in asinuous path corresponding to the guide. Each car 12 is provided on itsbottom with suitable casters 32 which roll upon platform 1.

At a suitable point above rods 24 a circular platform or track 33 issuspended by suitable brackets 34 from girders 3. Upon this track areadapted to roll depending casters 35 which are mounted preferably inpairs upon frames 36, respectively, there being provided one frame foreach car 25 and said frames being, preferably, extensions of rods 2li.Each frame 36 is also provided with a pair of rollers 37 which roll uponthe opposite sides of a guide 38, which, simi- Vlarly to guide 31,preferably consists of a rail bent in a sinuous curve, the inwardlycurved portions of which overlie the outwardly curved portlons of guide31. tjruide 38 depends from the frame 39 of platform 33 and, similarlyto guide 31, causes rods 2li to reciprocate in their bearings as spiderframe 22 is rotated, the rotation of the latter' frame being' in theopposite direction to that of spider frame 8. Consequently ears .25travel in a sinuous path. The spider frames and the reciprocable rodsWill be so arranged on shaft 6 that cars 12 will pass cars 25,respectively, at the points in their paths where their radial Vdistanceapart is greatest; that is, when cars 12 are at the peaks of theinwardly extending curves of their guide, cars 25 will be at the peaksof the outwardly extending; curves of their guide. Consequently cars 12can not meet cars 25 at the intersections of their paths.

lt is apparent that driving shaft 17 may be driven in any suitablemanner and that any form of Conveyance or vehicle by Which thepassengers shall be transported may be used. lt is also apparent thatthe guides for the cars may be provided in various formations.

lfilhat l claim is:

1. ln a carousel the combination With a revolubly mounted f "ame, aplurality of rcciprocable members carried by the frame and radiating`therefrom, a vehicle secured Yto each member, a lixedfguide forControllinke,` the reciprocation of the members and means to rotate theframe.

2. In a carousel the combination with two independent revolubly mountedframes, a

plurality of reciprocable members carried by each frame and radiating`therefrom, a vehicle secured to each member, guides to control thereciprocation of the members and means to rotate the frames in oppositedirections. v

3. In a carousel the combination With a platform, of a frame revolublymounted on the platform, a plurality of reciprocable rods carried by theframe and radiating therefrom antifriction rollers carried by the frameand engaging` the rods, respectively, a vehicle secured to each rod andhaving,-

rolling contact with the platform, a guide on the platform, means on therods and engaging the guide for controlling the reciprocation of therods andmeans to rotate theV frame.

4. In a carousel the combination With a fixed platform, of tivo frames vrevolubly mounted Vupon the platform one above the other, a plurality ofreciprocable rods carried by each frame Vand radiating therefrom, anantifriction roller for each rod and carried b y the frames, a vehicleconnected to each rod, a. portion of the vehicles having a rollin ,9;support on the platform, a second platform above the vehicles upon whichthe remainder of the vehicles have a rolling support, a guide on eachplatform for controlling` the reciprocation of the rods, respectively,and means to rotate the frames in opposite directions.

5. nfa carousel the combination of two fixed platforms one above theother, a central vertical shaft revolubly mounted between the platforms,a fixed frame and a -loose frame on the shaft, a plurality oflongitudinally reciprocable rods carried by the fumes, antifrictionrollers carried by lthe frames and engaging the rods, respectively, avehicle secured to each rod and having a rolling support on one of theplatforms, a guide on each platform in the form of a sinuous curve,means on each rod engagging' one of the guides and means to rotate theshaft and loose frame in opposite Kdirections whereby by means .of theguides the vehicles are caused to travel in sinuous paths, one portionof them traveling in one 'direction and the other portion in theopposite direction.

lnf'ivitness whereof l have hereunto subscribed my name this 30th day ofJune,

1914. PAUL' F. NACHTIGALL.

` Witnesses:

MaRGARnrI-IE TnGnDER, lsAAo N. TAYLOR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

` Washington, D. C.

